When native and municipal leaders came together to protect and acquire the E&N Railway corridor, they understood the complexity of the task at hand.

In forming the Island Corridor Foundation, they created a structure that could accept the land transfer from the Canadian Pacific Railway and work to achieve eight objectives - one of which is to encourage modern-day passenger and freight rail services on Vancouver Island.

To do that, the foundation realized the need for a capable short-line rail operator, so it engaged Southern Railway of British Columbia, one of the best short-line operators in North America.

A subsidiary of SRY, Southern Rail of Vancouver Island, has worked with the foundation to develop an overall long-term infrastructure plan that forecast a $100-million cost for upgrades to the line.

Discussions with the provincial and federal governments led to the Ministry of Transportation commissioning a study to review the proposed upgrades and the potential for passenger and freight growth.

The report concluded there was potential - but that the foundation should take an incremental approach to infrastructure investment while improving rail service and building demand.

With the professional services of Southern Rail, the foundation developed a $15-million infrastructure plan, and called for an improved Via Rail passenger schedule as the first phase of improving rail service and building demand. The plan was released in October 2010 and submitted to the federal and provincial governments.

This common-sense business approach helped secure a $7.5-million commitment from the provincial government, and convinced it to release $500,000 to complete the bridge and trestle engineering audit.

The bridge audit will be complete by mid-February. A manageable result should inspire a contribution from the federal government.

Millions of federal dollars have been spent on rail in other parts of Canada, while little has gone into the Island railway, even though one of the greatest land giveaways in history was used to entice us colonials into Confederation by having a railway built.

The plan for passenger service improvements, released in October 2010, called for the train to be turned around, with an early-morning southbound train.

Ridership on the Malahat Via train had experienced a 10 per cent growth over the last three years of operation, despite the general opinion that it was operating in the wrong direction.

Via Rail is considering the new schedule and the additional gross operating cost of about $500,000.

Increased passenger revenues are expected to cover the additional operational cost.

This initial rail improvement plan isn't complicated, nor is it expensive in the costly world of transportation systems.

Who knows? With a little success, taxpayers of the Capital Regional District may find that this little railway could provide the opportunity for a cost-effective transportation alternative in the near future.

So here we are, after visionary leadership to protect this corridor and volumes of studies, in sight of doing something historic - and now in good old Island tradition we will start throwing stones at each other.

For several years, the foundation's directors have worked hard to meet varied objectives and evolve into an efficiently run organization while managing competing demands and interests.

This kind of focus will ensure a future for rail on Vancouver Island.

Graham Bruce, the chief operating officer of the Island Corridor Foundation, has served as minister of municipal affairs and minister of labour.

More information about the Island Corridor Foundation is at www.islandrail.ca.